The work day was easier than I expected. So let’s do one of these list things today.

TOP 10 FINNISH ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2013

10. Devil Box – Ceci n’est pas une guitare (Kääntö Records, 2013)

Devil Box album came out a few weeks ago, but still managed to claim a place on this list. Especially loving the song Réunion Pacific that almost sneaked into the top songs list as well. If I’m not mistaken this the first instrumental album ever to appear on any kind of year end list that I’ve created at onechord.net or elsewhere.

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9. Antero Lindgren – Talking With The Dead (Eino Records, 2013)

Antero Lindgren’s second album Talking With The Dead is also another fairly new entry to the list. Of course it’s been out since may, but it was crawling under my radar until I saw the light and bought a copy earlier in December. This is like an inch away of being something out-of-this-world brilliant and the next album might well be an album of the year contender. This one already falls into the damn good category.

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8. Janne Laurila & Tuhlaajapojat – Janne Laurila ja Tuhlaajapojat (Lumpeela julkaisut, 2013)

I’ve been a fan of Janne Laurila since Office Building days and I do not expect this to change. One of those lifelong things I suppose. These days he is making music with Tuhlaajapojat and they released a self-titled album in January. I think it had a song or two that weren’t much more than ok, but I don’t hold that against them, because there’s also several magical moments on that album. Like Taika haihtuu pois and this song called Laura.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9khRPvrahw]
 

7.The New Tigers – The Badger (Soliti, 2013)

The New Tigers are getting better all the time. I probably haven’t been praising them enough here at onechord.net, because this new album The Badger is damn good as a whole and then the song Secondary City is just magnificent and one of the songs of the year.

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6. Matti Jasu & The Close Encounters – Pin On the Map

Matti Jasu has become a really prolific songwriter and release a new album every year. That’s not a bad thing as long as he can keep the quality high enough. Doesn’t seem to be a problem, because this 2013 release Pin On The Map is an excellent album that has been spinning a lot in my head.

5. Samae Koskinen – Hyvä päivä (Fried Music, 2013)

I have a bit mixed feelings about the new Samae album. I’ve been struggling a lot with a couple of songs, but on the other hand it contains some of the finest music released this year. If you want examples. I don’t really like the title track Hyvä päivä that much, but I could marry the songs Hullu nainen and Olit kaikki. The good stuff is just so brilliant that this goes ahead of some albums that might be more consistent.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAHn13kcN4I]
 

4. Astrid Swan – Astrid4 (Soliti, 2013)

This stunning work of art has gotten way too little recognition on this little blog. Astrid Swan’s new album is a bit of challenge to my taste, but it is a magnificent album. If I was some real journalist trying to objectively pick the finest piece of music released in Finland this year, I might go with Astrid4. My top three picks will just be closer to my comfort zone.

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3. Penniless – Rows Of Houses (A West Side Fabrication, 2013)

If I had to rank all Penniless albums in order, this new one Rows Of Houses would go somewhere in the middle of the pack. However, even the average Penniless album is friggin’ amazing on everyone else’s standards. Not a masterpiece like the previous album A Cab to the City, but a great record nevertheless.

2. The Lieblings – Take Us To Your Leader (GAEA, 2013)

I had this excellent power pop creation as #1 for a long time, but there was one late riser this year. I’m still loving this The Lieblings album a lot and it probably is the Finnish album I’ve listened to the most this year. It might not be anything inventive or earthshattering, but I enjoy every second of it. Somewhere between power pop and fuzzy Creation bands.

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1. Topi Saha – Kolme veljee (Warner Music Finland, 2013)

What is happening? A major label release as my #1 choice. Well credit when credit is due. As I said on the song list, at first I was mildly disappointed with this second album by Topi Saha. I’m not entirely sure what I was thinking. Some temporary bug that caused blindness to true beauty. Well I got over it, bought the album and started spending more and more time with it. During the last few months of 2013, Kolme veljee turned from pleasant acquaintance to a close warm-hearted friend. Therefore Kolme Veljee is rightfully the album of the year 2013.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqTjRfu8rLg]

10. Janne Laurila & Tuhlaajapojat – Taika haihtuu pois

This one almost slipped out, because it came out very early in the year. The whole Janne Laurila & Tuhlaajapojat album was really good, but I especially loved this opening track Taika haihtuu pois.

9. Gim Kordon – Ei ole helppoo

I really love this early demo version of Ei ole helppoo. Even more than the second Gim Kordon that soon followed. But a real indie kid loves the first rough demo song of course. It’s all downhill from here haha. I still have high expectations for the debut album due out next year on Soliti.

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8. The New Tigers – Secondary City

My favourite song from the second The New Tigers album The Badger that will appear on the album list as well.

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7. Ochre Room – Garbage Trucks Are On The Move

First outtake from the forthcoming Ochre Room album due out spring 2014. One of my most anticipated albums of the year 2014.

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6. Koria Kitten Riot – Between a Pillow and a Soft Place

The second outtake from the excellent forthcoming Koria Kitten Riot album that will hit the stores in January 2014.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5-ExY-OinM]

5. The Lieblings – She Motorway

Classic Coma from the excellent The Lieblings debut Take Us To Your Leader

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4. Hills (Of Vaasa) – It Was There

Classic Coma part 2 from the Hills (Of Vaasa) digital single.

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3. Nicolas Kivilinna – Rauhattoman rukous

I’m not a very logical person. I left Eino Leino -EP by Nicolas Kivilinna out from the EP list only because it didn’t feel right to include something that I haven’t bought. However, I wasn’t able to leave the lead song Rauhattoman rukous out from this list, because I’ve been listening to it a lot online and think it’s just so utterly wonderful.

 
2. Samae Koskinen – Hullu nainen

Hyvä päivä is not my favourite Samae Koskinen album (Ok, still a great one and easily among my top 10 Finnish albums of the year), but this song. Everything about this song from that Kaseva-like verse to that awesome chrous. I love it. I had this as #1 for a long time, but during the last week or two something sneaked past it.

1. Topi Saha – Kolme veljee

At first, Topi Saha’s second album Kolme veljee felt like a minor disappointment. In some sense I still feel like the album could have been even better. Which might sound like a really odd statement after you’ve red my upcoming Finnish albums of the year list. Anyway, this is the song list and there’s plenty of wonderful songs on this one. There might be several worthy of that Finnish song of the year award, but during the recent weeks it has become clear to me that the title goes to the amazing title song Kolme veljee.